"Can you hand me- Ah thanks."
Mercy did not have to look back behind her to know that he nodded to acknowledge her thank and that he was doubtlessly standing somewhere out of her way. It felt so familiar and natural, almost as if he knew exactly what she needed and wanted in her work environment. The way that he stood out of every possible path she could take from her current location and the way he was situated exactly where she would need the next item from. It was all so ... perfect.
However, she did not have the time to dwell on such thoughts at that moment. Instead, Mercy took the test tube and placed it under her microscope, inspecting it before nodding to herself.
As she did so, she could hear Genji's soft footsteps around her right side, picking up the tablets on the table and the other small items scattered about. She was never one to be exactly keen about neatness in the midst of her experiments after all. That being said, Overwatch was not an organization with an infinite supply of funds. At least, not anymore.
"Alright, it'll work this time!"
While she has never been able to confirm it and the ninja always refused to answer her inquiry, she always had a feeling that he smiled to himself behind his visor every time she said it. Even so, she knew that he meant no offense as he stood watching as she took the test tube and brought it up to the lip of the other container. She has said that so many times now, he probably couldn't help himself. The new vaccine solution has not proven to be successful so far. Each time the two chemicals mix, they came apart or fizzled out. At worst, it made the glass smoke a bit from the acidity level.
"Ready when you are, doctor."
Mercy spared a moment to glance back at the source of the voice very close behind her. She smirked at him, "I don't recall hiring a new assistant. I hope you weren't expecting me to pay you."
Without another word, she looked back toward her experiment and took a deep breath before mixing the two chemicals into the larger beaker.
The next thing she recalled after a large flash and ear-ringing explosion was being on the ground. Angela let out a soft groan and blinked rapidly, her eyes recovering from the change of lighting from the previous moment in the lab. When she regained her vision, she found herself gazing up at the visor of a certain cyborg mere inches from her face.
Even with it on, she could still imagine his face through it, probably with a look of concern that was unsuitable for such a handsome visage. Well, it was sweet and wonderful expression for any man to have, but she didn't want to see it on him. Especially not when she was the person who caused that expression to appear.
As she quickly came to realize the situation that they were in, Angela's cheeks heated up to a soft pink hue as she gulped gently. Her body wanted to respond in some way, in a manner that her mind did not remember and did not figure out.
However, Genji saved her the need to finish the thought as he got up from her. She felt her body lose its tension as her heartbeat slowed down just a bit. It was probably just the adrenaline from the event. That must have been what had happened. After all, why else would her heart and body react like that?
She placed her hand gently into his metallic one, allowing herself to be helped up to a standing position before dusting herself off with her eyes closed. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly before opening her eyes to try her best to calmly assess the damage.
Despite her preparation, Mercy squeezed her eyes shut again with a groan as she placed her face neatly into her palm, one arm across her chest to support her other elbow. She felt a pair of hands on her shoulder, massaging her shoulder pleasantly enough to possibly make her coo had her head not hurt so much.
"Ver dammt ..."
She could hear Genji chuckled behind her and turned to glare at him, her frown not quite as convincing as it could have been. He simply took off his face-plate to meet her gaze, openly showing his smile now.
"I figured this would happen eventually. There are only so many ways you have left of screwing up an experiment after all."
That definitely did not make her frown at him any less, though her glare lessened as she hesitantly conceded to the point mentally. "Is that why you wear your face-plate all the time?"
Genji pretended to think for a moment, breaking eye contact before meeting it again and smiling slyly at her.
"Well, it definitely helps to have an infrared vision and see when things are about to explode. I did recall a certain doctor saying something about safety equipment despite not using any."
"Also, it helps hide my smile whenever you say that it'll work this time."
Oh, the glare was definitely coming back now.
"So you do react like that whenever I say it! You're terrible, terrible! You're the worst!"
Angela moved to punch his shoulder, only for her fist to be caught squarely in the palm of his hand. He simply smiled at her, raising an eyebrow as he did so.
"Hey now, are you trying to hurt yourself after all that trouble I went through to make sure that you weren't injured? My armor is not that soft you know."
Angela sighed and dropped her hand. "Thank you for that ..."
Genji shook his head. "It was the least I could do for all you've done for me."
Things that he never told her about other than what the files told her. Or at least, she felt as if there were things that he did not mention. He was a sly man, he only told her the things that everyone knew and the things that her files documented. It was definitely true and she couldn't push him further with no basis but something told her there was more.
In any case, she couldn't be mad at him. He definitely improved her mood, whether she liked it or not, with his teasing. It was a charming thing about him that she greatly appreciated. Besides, he definitely did save a lot of money and effort considering that everything important was moved out of the way.
As if he was reading her thoughts, Genji casually picked up her mug from the table and inspected it as he poked at her. "Aren't you so glad I moved everything? Otherwise, you might not have this cup."
Angela snatched it out of his hand with the frown returning to her lips. The "World's Okayest Doctor" mug returned to its spot on the table as she finished the remainder of the now cool coffee.
"Yes yes, I'm eternally grateful. How shall I ever express my gratitude? Perhaps a marriage is in order then, Mr. Shimada?"
A strange expression came over Genji's expression then, one that made Angela pause and made her face and thoughts freeze. They held eye contact for several seconds in silence before Genji coughed lightly with his hand over his mouth, glancing away and over at the table littered with broken glass and spilled chemicals.
"In any case, I suppose we should get this cleaned up. Wouldn't want to hurt your assistant now, do you?"
Angela allowed herself to respond with a small smile and an uncertain nod. Something in his voice changed and something in the way he acted change. Perhaps it was because he called himself her assistant rather than denying it as if to remind himself of something. Perhaps it was the sudden feeling of emptiness she felt without the warmth of his gaze on her. Or was it the warmth in his voice?
Suddenly, her chest felt tight and her mind felt hazy .. dizzy. It took all her concentration to make sure that she remained standing and to force herself to take a quiet deep breath.
Then again, there was no hiding even a harmless breeze from Genji's senses. Such was to be expected from a real life and trained ninja after all. The cyborg cast his gaze back upon her, his expression changing from his brooding tone to confusion and very promptly to concern.
"Ange- Doctor Ziegler, are you alright? Was it the chemicals?"
There he goes again. He did that sometimes. She was sure that it came instinctively to him, something told her that he had to force himself to change that habit. He addressed everyone formally and politely by their family name and title, she was no different. So how was it that he came to develop such a strange habit of calling her by that?
And why did her chest tighten just a bit every time she heard him say only that much of her name, as if she was longing to hear him finish it?
After the first time, she had inquired about it to no avail. After a few more occurrences, she insisted that he would refer to her as Angela if he wished, only to be met with a smile and a soft voice informing her that he was fine with referring to her as Doctor Ziegler. Now that she thought about it, there was something strange about that smile too.
Everything seemed to point to a single answer, an answer that the old her would have known. It frustrated her to no ends and she knew that all these thoughts and regrets that could only be delayed and pushed aside for so long by her work. Now was when her little game ends, where they finally all catch up to her.
Angela found herself burying her face in Genji's chest, tears flowing down her cheeks against his metallic armor. She did not make a sound, not a single sob nor whimper at all. Perhaps it was the stress catching up to her. Perhaps the repeated failures finally cracked her a bit. Perhaps the sleepless nights in succession over this single project finally took its toll.
Perhaps she just didn't know what she should do and needed to do to find these answers for herself and for Genji. So, she found herself simply surrendering herself to his gentle embrace and fell asleep before the tears on her cheeks dried.